Hydroponic Tomatoes 

“The freshest vine-ripened produce from our family to yours.”  That’s the motto of the Beylik Family Farms.  For almost 30 years the Beylik family has been dedicated to producing the very best produce possible from their farm near Fillmore in Ventura County. 

There are rows and rows of plump and juicy tomatoes ripening on the vine.  But, these tomatoes are not grown the way you may think.  They’re all grown hydroponically.  

So, what does the word hydroponic mean?  Well, in simple terms it refers to a plant that is grown in water, not soil.  But, the process itself is much more involved than that. 

Scott Beylik is the manager and part owner of Beylik Family Farms and he says the greenhouse is able to hold so many plants (about 4,000) because the vines are kept vertical.  Each vine is woven onto a string by hand and grows up to eight feet tall.  Once the plant develops to 3 or 4 inches tall, they’ll transfer it into the block.  It’s not truly as if the roots are sitting in water or we have a lot of water laying around.  They use a material called rockwool to actually contain the roots and hold the water 

Scott continues, “The nutrients for the plants are then fed into the rockwool with a drip system.  Because the plants are not grown in soil, a mixture of nutrients must be added to the water.   The irrigation system automatically turns on based on the light intensity in the greenhouse.  The temperature is also regulated and kept at 75 degrees with a humidity level of 85 percent.” 

Having control of the temperature allows Beylik Family Farms to grow tomatoes 365 days a year.  The crop includes varieties such as beefsteak, plum, yellow, orange and Japanese tomatoes.  All are sold directly to consumers at farmers’ markets. 

And Scott says, “Since we’re not in the wholesale business, we can actually pick the tomatoes red” which is a tasty plus for the customers. 

And while there are many benefits to hydroponics, there are still challenges including pest control and pollination.  “Since we’re enclosed and we don’t have the wind blowing around the flowers, we introduce a bumble bee hive and they actually pollinate the flower for us.” 

One beehive can pollinate an entire acre of tomatoes.  And to deal with pests, Scott uses beneficial insets.  Lady bugs are good bugs that get rid of bad bugs and The Beylik Family Farm uses millions of these beneficial insects.   All of these elements require constant attention, but the rewards are well worth it.   

Quality is a top priority at Beylik Family Farms and if you find yourself in the Los Angeles area or Ventura or Santa Barbara Counties be sure and check out the various farmers’ markets where the Beylik’s sell their tomatoes.  

Beylik Family Farm is located at 890 Oak Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015.  Phone number is 805-524-5533.  Website is www.beylikfarms.com or you can email them at tomatoes@beylikfarms.com.